The 2021 BHAS Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on 6 November 2021 at the Communal Garden at Hertford Avenue. After no AGM was held in 2020 and a delayed 2021 AGM, both due to COVID-19, it was wonderful to see many BHAS members and to address the business of the allotment society.
The BHAS remains in good financial standing and any ideas for improvements on the plots can be put forward to your site rep. Additionally, donations were made to four charities, each to receive £250.
Our sincere thanks to the committee members continuing in their positions and a big welcome to the newly elected committee members! The Allotment Society Committee are all volunteers and the Society’s principal concerns are the well-being of the allotments and promoting the interests of our members.
If you are interested in volunteering for the society, please let us know as there remain a few open positions.
The agenda, minutes, chair’s report, and treasurer’s report can be accessed here:
As mentioned the April 2021 newsletter, later this year we are considering holding in-person events for the AGM and Annual Show. It would be really helpful if you could let us know whether you would consider attending these events, by answering the following questions in a survey we have put together, so we can plan accordingly.
The Shed is currently open on Saturday and Sundays from 11am and noon.
The Trading Shed is located at the Hertford Avenue allotment site located at Hertford Avenue, SW14 8EQ and run by Mark and Sheena.
The Trading Shed is one of the benefits of Barnes Horticultural and Allotment Society (BHAS) membership; discounted seeds, fertilisers, and other gardening supplies are available for purchase during the growing season.
All stock is offered at a discount to garden centre prices to BHAS members.
The water system will be turned back on between March 22 – 28.
Please can you keep a lookout for leaks, which may have occurred over the winter, and let your site rep know the location of any that you see asap so these can be fixed.
Following last year’s very competitive sunflower competition, BHAS is again offering its members free sunflower seeds at the trading shed for spring planting. Pick up a pack of seeds (one pack per BHAS plotholder) at the trading shed and start to prepare your garden for some bee-friendly competition!
The variety available this year is Giant Sunflower Titan.
The seeds will be at the trading shed starting Saturday, 20 March while supplies last.
How to enter
Sunflowers will form two new categories in the Annual Show in September and your sunflower can be entered into the show along with the other categories; if the show is not able to go forward, we will arrange an online entry form like we did last year – so the sunflower competition will go forward!
Pick up a packet of seeds or use your own; plant them when you’re ready.
Growing instructions
Giant Sunflower Titan.
One of the tallest-growing and easily the biggest-headed and seeded variety available to gardeners. Perfect for impressing your neighbors and winning competitions. The plants will need support reaching up to 12ft with large yellow flower heads plants can reaching 18-24″ across! The seeds are large and ideal for consumption or leaving for over-winter birds. Annual.
Cultiviation Advice Giant Sunflower Titan
Days To Germination: 14-21 days Optimum Soil Temp. for Germination: 68F-86F Planting Depth: 1/4 inch Spacing, Seed: 4-6 inch Spacing, Plant: 24-36 inches Plant Height: 10-14 ft inches Light: Full Sun
Seeds can be started indoors 3 to 4 weeks before last spring frost. Or direct-sow seeds outside after all danger of frost has passed to a depth of 1/4 inch. Can be sown as late as 100 days before last frost.
When seedlings are 2 to 3 inches high, thin to individual pots. Replant thinned plants.
Steadily harden off before planting out after all danger of frost has passed.
These will require staking / support in all but the most sheltered locations.
Measure the diameter of the seed head. The flower petals should not be included. Heads should be cut from the stock (unless also entering the same plant into the tallest sunflower category).
2. Tallest sunflower plant
Measured from the base of the stem (not including the roots) to the top of the head. The head can be extended to measure the full height of the plant. We ask that gardeners cut off the roots to make it easier to measure the stem. Please also remove leaves from the stalk.
Photos of your sunflower journey
Please do send us any photos you have of your sunflowers (from seed to competition-winning size!) as we would like to share the journey on social media or on the website. Photos can be sent to bhas.social.news@gmail.com.
We have today received the following notice from Richmond Council regarding the invoice you have been sent for your allotment rent.
“Due to the implementation of a new process for generating annual invoices, a technical error resulted in the rents charged to concessionary plot holders and standard plot holders being reversed. To resolve, credit notes will be raised to cancel all invoices issued on 1st October 2020 and revised invoices with the correct charges will be issued during the w/c 12th October. Plot holders who are ‘Out of Borough’ are not affected.”
Throughout the summer months, the sunflower population on BHAS plots has been impressive with some absolutely stunning displays. It’s the perfect time, given this week’s wet weather, to revisit some of the impressive yellow giants seen on the East Sheen allotments.
Amazing displays
Susan Borrett, Triangle 8A
Janet Bostock, Hertford 39
Maureen Goodwin, Priory 57
Helen Lawrence, Hertford 38
Sheena Clarke, Pavillion 2
Sarah W, Hertford 26
John Padgett, Hertford 41a
Sheena Clarke, Pavillion 2
Sarah W, Hertford 26
Sarah W, Hertford 26
Photos of beneficial bugs enjoying the 2020 East Sheen Allotments Sunflower Competition.
First Competition
The 2020 Sunflower Competition was originally intended to be a new addition to the BHAS Annual Show traditionally held in September, adding two categories for height and biggest seed head; to mark the new categories, in March, Mongolian Giant sunflower seeds were donated to the Trading Shed by Dino Franz from Hertford 26 and offered for free until they were all claimed.
Members of BHAS could pick up a packet of donated seeds from the Trading Shed.
Due to COVID-19, the Annual Show in September did not go forward, but a virtual growing competition was organised for a bit of lockdown fun.
Entries were submitted through an online form from mid-August through the end of September. Without any further ado, the results are below.
The 2020 Sunflower Competition winners
Tallest Sunflower Plant
Measured from the base of the stem (not including the roots) to the top of the head. The head can be extended to measure the full height of the plant.
🌻 Winner: Susan Borrett, Triangle 8A – 3960mm tall
🥈Runner up: John Padgett, Hertford 41a – 3720mm tall
Biggest Sunflower Head
Measure the diameter of the seed head. The flower petals should not be included.
🌻 Winner: Juan Ramlill, Pavillion 6b – 400mm in diameter
🥈Runner up: John Padgett, Hertford 41a – 370mm in diameter
Thanks to everyone for the beautiful display of sunflowers on our plots and your entries; congratulations to the winners. I think we can agree it was a close competition and fun distraction during lockdown and attracted countless beneficial pollinators and bugs to our plots.
The BHAS Committee looks forward to seeing next years’ sunflowers!
The Richmond Council released their newsletter this week and announced that, on Sunday 14 April, they will be hosting a compost giveaway at Holly Road car park in Twickenham. The giveaway runs from 11:00 to 15:00 or until compost is gone.
Each household can take two bags of compost home for free and small electrical items no longer needed can also be recycled.
BHAS Allotment Society 